Taj Mahal

Originally, the Taj was to be built for Shah Jahan's wife, Mumtaz. The original plan was to build the existing Taj for Mumtaz, and build an identical structure next to it, only in black marble, for himself. The two were then to be connected by a silver bridge, symbolizing their love. However, since the original taj took over 22 years and a massive amount of money to build, his sons were a little distraught, and wound up deposing Shah Jehan in order to preserve some money as well as for numerous other reasons. So today, the foundation for the black taj still exists, but the structure was never built.

Another interesting fact is that the Mughal gardens of the Taj are highly symbolic and reflective of the legendary gardens of Paradise in Islamic scripture, divided into four categories. The gardens only exist in ruins today, but there is effort by the Indian Government to restore these majestic gardens. The four gardens were supposed to represent heaven on earth, with the center being the Taj complex, and Shah Jehan and his wife as manifested deities. Needless to say, Jehan had a little superiority complex.

The last bit of legend, (don't know if it's true) relating to the Taj is that Shah Jehan was so marveled by his accomplishment, and so protective of it, that he didn't want anything ever close replicated, he had the head architect's hands cut off. The architect was very very pissed off. So he drilled a hole into the dome, and later said to the Shah, now your masterpiece is flawed forever.

I
am some kind of centre
echo vacuum where sound cyclones
an eye behind black glass
a girl on her birthday, shaking
as the animals charge from their cages
a boy swaying in the treetop
summer wind, raincloud chic
a wave in a clear medium
a smile full of smiles

I bring
the giant's gold down from the cloud castle
so naive, sold on magic
carrying my riches in a satchel
appleseed and honest water
heart and brain pierced by an icicle
calling for my sister,
dead and buried in the belly of a wolf

I bring the sky
in between my toes,
under my fingernails, in my hair
all by accident, I never know where I go
a grinning face in a crazed mirror
shards of the shattered air
a jigsaw for a fevered brain
a dance of numbers, archetypes
around a hole in reality

I bring the sky and the earth
with me to the palace door:
orange sun on the becalmed sea,
a road between the darkness and the light
unfinished, mapped and wished for
in the mad dreams of Shah Jahan,
sick with love for Mumtaz, eating death
in small bites, like a handful of rice
no lover, no kingdom, no freedom
he loves her, always will, forever

I bring the sky and the earth together

History

The Taj Mahal was built by Shah Jahan between in the 17th century (There seems to be dispute as to exactly when) for his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal at the height of the Mughal Empire. Its name means "crown palace". Shah Jahan was then deposed by his son, Aurangzeb and imprisoned in the Red Fort at Agra. He is now buried in the Taj Mahal alongside his wife. Several myths exist about the Taj, including:

• As well as the white Taj, Shah Jahan planned to build a black Taj for himself on the other side of the river, joined by a silver or interlaced black and white marble bridge (depending on which version you hear). This may be true, and is certainly made more believable by the presence of the start of some constructions on the other side of the river.
• When the Taj was complete, the workmen refused to take the scaffolding away, so Jahan announced that the scaffolding was free to take to the citizens of Agra. The scaffolding went within a day.
• When the Taj was complete, Shah Jahan cut of the hands of the architect to prevent him outdoing his masterpiece. In retaliation the architect drilled a hole in the dome so that it was flawed.

Architecture of the Taj

Seeing the Taj

Taj Ma*hal" (täj mahäl"). [Corruption of Per. Mumtaz-i-Mahal, lit., the distinguished one of the palace, fr. Ar.]

A marble mausoleum built at Agra, India, by the Mogul Emperor Shah Jahan, in memory of his favorite wife. In beauty of design and rich decorative detail it is one of the best examples of Saracenic architecture.

© Webster 1913.